Northern Territory Numbered Acts Northern Territory Numbered Acts(1) The master of a vessel within a designated port must, at the request of a port management officer for the port, permit the officer to do any of the following for the purpose of investigating whether the vessel, or the business for which it is being used, is being operated lawfully:
(a) board the vessel;
(b) inspect the vessel, its cargo and any other goods or things on the vessel;
(c) do anything else on the vessel in connection with the investigation.
(2) Before a port management officer boards a vessel under subsection (1), the officer must produce his or her identity card to the master to whom the request under that subsection is made.
(3) A port management officer may board a vessel and do any other thing mentioned in subsection (1) if there is no-one on board to whom a request may be made under that subsection.
(4) The owner of the vessel is liable to pay all expenses incurred under subsection (3).
(5) An amount that an owner is liable to pay under subsection (4) may be recovered as a debt due and payable to the port operator.